Two-way prepositions: accusative for motion, dative for rest
The nine German Wechselpräpositionen take the accusative for movement toward a place (wohin?) and the dative for a static location (wo?).
Nine prepositions can take either the accusative or the dative — they are the Wechselpräpositionen: in, an, auf, über, unter, vor, hinter, neben, zwischen.
The case depends on one question:
- Movement toward a goal — wohin? (where to?) → accusative: Ich gehe in die Schule.
- Rest / a fixed location — wo? (where?) → dative: Ich bin in der Schule.
The same preposition, two cases, two meanings. A handy test: if you could ask wohin? and there is a change of place, use the accusative; if you ask wo? and nothing moves, use the dative.
Examples
Grammatical analysisBase form ichCaseNominativ (nominative)NumberSingular (singular)Person1st person singular (ich)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form gehenPerson1st person singular (ich)TensePräsens (present)Checked deterministically before build in die Schule.
I go to school. (movement → accusative)
Grammatical analysisBase form ichCaseNominativ (nominative)NumberSingular (singular)Person1st person singular (ich)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form seinPerson1st person singular (ich)TensePräsens (present)Checked deterministically before build in der Schule.
I am at school. (rest → dative)
Common mistakes
Going to a place is movement (wohin?), so use the accusative die, not the dative der.
Related topics
Practice
Ich gehe in ___ Schule.
Ich bin in ___ Schule.
Das Buch liegt auf ___ Tisch.